1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for charging a battery mounted in a straddled electric vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-018270 discloses an electric motorcycle that uses an electric motor as a power source. The electric motorcycle has a battery capable of being demounted from the vehicle body. The battery demounted from the vehicle body can be charged by a charger connected to a household power source or the like. Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-104249 discloses a motor-assisted bicycle that assists a drive of the rear wheel with an electric motor. A battery of the bicycle can be charged in either of the states of being demounted from the vehicle body and of being mounted on the vehicle body.
In some cases, a battery of an electric motorcycle needs to be charged with a public charging station when a user travels far on the electric motorcycle. In those cases, it is convenient for the user that the battery can be charged in a state in which the battery is mounted on the vehicle body. In this view, it is desirable that a battery of an electric motorcycle is chargeable in either of the states of being demounted from the vehicle body and of being mounted on the vehicle body, similar to the motor-assisted bicycle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2010-018270. In order to ensure a longer travel range of an electric motorcycle or to increase output of the electric motor, it is necessary to increase the capacity of a battery or an output voltage of the same. Increasing the capacity and increasing the output voltage of a battery will invite an increase in the weight of the battery. This makes it difficult for the user to demount the battery from the vehicle body to charge and to carry the demounted battery to a place of a charger.